Drabble Series 1
by avdubs
Summary: A collection of Harry Potter drabbles. Contains various pairings. Some contain mature themes.
1. Things You Said Under the Stars

Prompt from tumblr user grangersdragon: Things you said under the stars and in the grass

If I may, I recommend listening to Be Still by The Fray while reading.

* * *

Hermione came home from an exhausting day at work to her dark and empty flat. Wednesdays were her least favorite days; Wednesdays were known around her office as "Meetings Day". From the time she arrived to the time she finally managed to slip out of her office, she was trapped in conference rooms with hours old coffee listening to the drone of her Head's voice. As if that wasn't enough, the latest scare in the Wizarding World had the Ministry employees sacrificing every ounce of personal time they had. The first murder happened two months ago, the third one just days ago.

She kicked off her shoes, flicked on the lights and stared at the emptiness before her. It always seemed too quiet when she got home. She checked her watch. Quarter after eleven. Hermione sighed, tied her bushy hair into a bun and proceeded to head to their…her bedroom to change. After throwing on a old t-shirt and a pair of shorts, she grabbed her wand headed to the park down the street. Their park.

It was hot and humid tonight, the air completely still. The loose strands of hair framing her face were already beginning to cling to her skin. She hated this weather, but she needed to talk to him tonight.

Lying down in the grass, she stared up at the velvety black sky with its twinkling stars. This was the first time today she felt calm.

"We're not any closer to catching him. Or even figuring out who he is for that matter…" she muttered.

Silence.

Hermione sighed and rested her hands on her stomach.

"There's nothing I want more right now than for you to be here lying next to me." Hermione whispered into the darkness.

She thought the air grew cooler, but couldn't be sure. It could have easily been the dew sticking to the grass finally cooling her down. Yes, that was the only explanation. Because Draco was gone. He wasn't here with her. Probably couldn't even hear her, yet here she lay. Like she had done since he passed six months ago.

"Do you remember our first date?"

Silence.

"We laid in the grass, just like I'm doing now. I suggested we go to a park after dinner. It was dark by then…and you were skeptical, but you went. You thought I was crazy for just lying down in the grass and the dirt."

She snorted into the humid air, recalling the memory with ease. As though it had only happened yesterday.

* * *

 _"What are you doing?" Draco asked with a raised eyebrow._

 _He stood before her looking horrified. Hermione smiled and patted the ground next to her._

 _"Lay down." she said._

 _Hermione thought she heard him mutter "absolutely mad…" as he did as instructed. She turned her head to face him and found him staring back at her._

 _"I had a really nice time with you tonight, Draco." she whispered._

 _He found himself smiling and a heat rush to his cheeks. Thank Salazar it was dark…_

 _"And I with you, Granger." Draco replied._

 _He reached out to grasp her hand in his, their fingers intertwining. His hands were warm and strong; somehow his skin was softer than hers. She felt safe, secure with his hand wrapped around hers._

 _Draco inhaled sharply when his skin met hers. Her hand seemed to fit perfectly in his._

 _"I really like you, Granger." he had spoken so softly she was just barely able to hear him. "Well…a bit more than like I suppose but ah…" he sighed, ruffling his hair with his free hand. "All I know is I've never felt this way about someone before."_

* * *

"I smiled like an idiot for hours after I got home that night. I don't know if I ever told you how much that meant to me." she said.

She felt tears prick at her eyes. A shaky sigh left her lips. Merlin this was painful. Coming home day after day to an empty home, a daily reminder that he was never coming back. He was gone. Gone, gone, gone.

"And do you remember…" her voice cracked. She squeezed her eyes shut and let a few tears fall, hot against her cheeks. "The first time you told me you loved me?"

Nothing but crickets chirping echoed through the night.

"We had only been dating a few months and you were so worried that I thought it was too soon. You wouldn't shut up and I had to kiss you so you would. We were at our park, only we didn't know it would become our park at that time." a forced laugh escaped her throat.

* * *

 _His eyes were wide when their lips broke apart, hands cupping each others' faces. A breeze brushed over their warm bodies, rustling the grass around them._

 _"I am completely in love with you, Hermione. And-"_

 _"And I with you." she whispered before kissing him gently._

 _Draco sighed into her mouth before deeply inhaling. Her scent was everywhere, her fingers seemed to be everywhere. She was everywhere, he had come to realize over the recent months. And maybe that was the reason behind those three words tumbling out of his lips just minutes before._

* * *

Hermione lay there for a few minutes, letting the hot tears fall. She had been crying a lot these days, which in itself was quite frustrating. More crying meant less sleeping and less sleep meant more stress. Quite the vicious cycle and after almost two weeks of it, there was no more denying it was taking its toll on her. She hated showing up to work with dark circles under her eyes and tear stains on her cheeks. And Merlin did she hate the pitying looks.

"Draco I just need to know you're still here. In a different way, of course. But just…something. Anything. Please." she croaked.

Her throat was sore and tight.

* * *

 _"Are you sure you need to do this?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly._

 _He gripped her hand tightly, giving it a reassuring squeeze._

 _"I don't want to leave you. But the Ministry has finally given me this chance…and I've worked hard to get here." the firmness of his voice stabbed at her heart, mostly because she knew he was right._

 _"I know. I know." she whispered._

 _She raised his hand to her mouth, kissing along his knuckles. He shivered as her lips brushed against his skin._

 _"I'll still be with you, even if I'm not with you." he paused. "Did that make sense?"_

 _He let out a chuckle and she couldn't help but laugh along with him._

 _"Yes, it did."_

* * *

"This became our park. Every important moment happened here. Underneath the stars…in this patch of grass. Under our old oak tree." Hermione whispered.

Her voice was hoarse. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was. It was time to head home, she decided. With a sigh, she sat up, still staring up at the sky.

"Goodnight, Draco."

She had only taken a few steps when a strong breeze rustled through the park. It was cool and soothing against her skin. Hermione smiled to herself and sniffled. With one last look up at the sky, she began the short walk home.


	2. Silly Things

Draco was still wary of taking their relationship public. Hell, he was sometimes uncertain about their relationship when they were alone. All his life his only loyalty lay to his family, and by dating a muggle-born, Hermione Granger to be specific, he might as well rip their hearts out with his bare hands. Granger was where his loyalties lie now, and it scared the shit out of him.

She had been wonderfully understanding, which was just another painful reminder that he probably didn't deserve her.

So when another Friday night rolled around, a stormy one at that, and he asked her if she was content with a night in, she had said yes. Like she had for the past two months.

"It's storming anyway. I don't really fancy going out in the rain." she said mindlessly as she kicked off her work shoes.

He smirked. Only dating for two months and already she was treating his flat as her own. He rose off the couch to greet her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind an burying his face in the crook of her neck. He hummed against her neck, the vibrations tingling against her skin.

"Th-"

"Draco if you say thank you, I will not hesitate to hex you." she warned, her voice stern.

They both knew he had said thank you more often in the past few months than he had in his entire life. She was sick of hearing it, and he couldn't help it when those two words tumbled out of his mouth.

She twisted in his hold, and faced him. He noticed the slight tiredness in her eyes, telling him that she _needed_ a night in. Loose curls had fallen from her bun, framing her sharp cheekbones. She smiled at him softly and planted the briefest of kisses on his jaw line. He felt his eyes flutter close, a small sigh escaping his lips.

Hermione pulled back, studying him. His eyes were still closed until he felt her absence. Her tenderness had ceased the ever-going battle in his mind. His skin burned where her lips had just been. But slowly, his eyes fluttered open again.

"How does take-out and movies sound?" she asked.

Draco smiled down at her. She was gazing intently at him, her head cocked to the side slightly.

"Alright then."

She stood on her toes to kiss his nose before letting go of him and picking up her bag.

"Good, then you won't mind calling in dinner while I shower?" she said with a wink and a playful smirk.

But she had started to walk away before he could even respond. He heard the bathroom door click shut and the faint sounds of running water. Draco shook his head and began searching for the menus. He found it incredibly difficult to decide on a restaurant. They had always cooked up to this point, and they had never discussed their take-out preferences.

He hadn't realized he was merely staring at the different choices until he heard Hermione call his name.

"Draco?"

His neck snapped up, and he whipped around. From where he was standing, he had a clear view of her standing in the bathroom doorway. Her honey curls were now sticking to her shoulders, and he tried hard not to focus on the towel wrapped around her damp body.

"Hm?" was all he could muster.

"I, erm, forgot to pack an extra pair of clothes. Could I borrow some of yours?"

He swallowed hard, wondering if any sound would come out when he spoke. She blinked, droplets of water now clinging to her fresh skin.

"O'course." he said finally.

Hermione smiled at him. "Thanks."

He watched as she quickly grabbed her things and darted to his before she reached her destination, he shouted from the kitchen.

"Wait! Do you like chinese?"

Hermione bit her lip and found herself smiling. Draco seemed to have that effect on her. Making her smile for no reason.

"Yes, I do."

Her friends were determined to insist that Draco wasn't worthy of keeping their relationship on the down low, now matter how many times she insisted she didn't mind. If she was completely honest with herself, she wasn't ready for everyone else to know yet either. If Harry and Ron's initial reactions were any indication of how others would react, she was perfectly content keeping this a secret. Normally her Gryffindor courage would get in the way and she would blaze through the halls of the Ministry and anywhere else she pleased with Draco by her side, but there was too much at stake. She was brave, not stupid. And this was a time to be logical.

Hermione picked out a plain white cotton shirt and was pleasantly surprised when she found a pair of sweatpants in his bottom drawer. She never would have guessed a Malfoy would own such a casual piece of clothing. She brushed through her tangled, wet curls with her fingers having forgotten a brush as well.

Draco was lounging on the couch when Hermione re-entered the living room. Her hair had formed a wet patch on the back of her, well technically, his shirt and hung limp at her shoulders. She looked around for him, and smiled when she found him spread out on the couch, arms behind his head. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed she had found his only pair of sweatpants. Exactly how did she look so beautiful in a baggy shirt and sweatpants?

He scooted over to make room for her as she laid down next to him, throwing an arm over his waist. His fingers moved in slow circles against her shoulder.

"How much longer until dinner?" she mumbled into his shirt.

She felt him shrug. "Another thirty minutes."

She huffed and sat up again, staring around aimlessly at first. Draco frowned, lacing his fingers in hers. She squeezed his hand before letting go and rising from the couch. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched her walk to the kitchen.

"Care for some wine?" he heard her ask.

There she goes again. Treating this like her flat. The new muggle contraption she called a television that sat a few feet in front of him was daily proof of that.

He never answered her question and she brought him a glass anyway. He took the glass of dark red liquid, smacking his lips after the first sip. He watched as she took a small sip, closing her eyes and smiling afterwards. There were several things they could have done in those thirty minutes, but instead they just talked. Conversations with her were always mentally stimulating, it was one of the many things he loved about her. Yes, love. Somewhere between the short conversations at work, the letters sent written in codes and nicknames, the coffees sipped in semi-silence and eventually their days spent together, he had fallen in love with her. He had no idea if she knew, and part of him was desperate to tell her, but they had only been dating for two months. The last thing he wanted to do was send her running.

Sometimes he got lost in her eyes; burnt honey speckled with light golden flecks. Sometimes he got caught up in the way her hand felt in his, warm and small. Secure and firm. And sometimes he got trapped in her entirely. The way she spoke so confidently or went on a breathless rant if she was fired up. Or how she looked when she slept, and the way she fit so perfectly against him. As he watched her sip her wine and stare out the large bay window, it dawned on him again that there wasn't a single thing he didn't love about her. Having her here with him, in his white shirt and sweats, all wet hair and clean skin, made him feel whole. Like there was never this gaping hole in his chest, empty and cold. She was warm and soft and strong and loving.

The sound of his doorbell ringing brought him back to reality. Hermione had already set down her glass and grabbed her bag for money. He heard her exchange a few words with the delivery man before she shut the door and the smell of chinese food wafted through the flat. They fixed their plates in silence before settling on the couch and starting the movie.

Conversation was light and the silences were comfortable as they ate. He refilled her wine glass and carried their plates to the kitchen. She was waiting for him with tired eyes and a lazy smile. When he sat down, she fit herself underneath his arm, leaning on his chest with her arm across his waist again. She listened to his steady heart beat and timed her breaths with his.

Neither minded having this secret all to themselves for the mean time. They didn't need the world to know how much they cared for one another, loved one another, though neither had uttered those words yet. They knew how they felt about the other, and all they needed were those silly little things; lingering stares, blushing cheeks, damp hair on cotton shirts, strong hands on olive skin, to constantly remind them of the unspoken love they shared.


	3. Meet the Potters

Harry fixed his tie for the twentieth time that evening, swallowing the large lump that had formed in his throat. A thick mane of dark red hair and bright green eyes appeared behind him. His mother kissed him on the cheek and attempted to flatten his hair just a tad.

"Don't be nervous sweetheart, I'm sure we'll love Ginny."

He shot her an appreciative smile and mumbled a thanks, but that's not why he was nervous. His dad and his friends were great, really. They were brilliant pranksters, but they sometimes had trouble knowing when to stop with the jokes and the last thing Harry wanted was his own dad embarrassing him in front of the girl he love.

Maybe it was a superpower all mum's had or maybe it was just a Lily-thing, but she had a knack of knowing what was going through his head. One look at his expression and her smile softened, almost resembling a pity smile.

"You know Sirius and Remus and Peter embarrassed your dad quite a bit in front of me. And your father should be thankful for that, do you know why?" she confided.

Harry shook his head.

"Well for one I have a great sense of humor," she smirked at this and Harry did too. "But they tended to bring out a different side to your father I hadn't yet seen. A side that I fell in love with, along with the rest of him."

Lily reached out to brush away the hair that was dangerously close to swinging in front of his eyes, admiring her son.

"Every part of you is wonderful, Harry. No matter what side of you your dad decides to show tonight." she said softly.

Harry smiled, his cheeks growing red. "Thanks, mum."

Lily kissed him on the head and went to exit his room, but paused in the doorway. "Besides, it's our job to embarrass you."

And with a wink she was gone.

* * *

Sirius was pulling out the bottles of firewhiskey he had brought while Lily sighed in exasperation. "We don't even _need_ that much, Sirius!"

"Oh come on Lily! It's a Saturday night, we haven't got work tomorrow!" he feign-pleaded, grasping his hands dramatically together in front of his chest.

The red head rolled her eyes as she pulled dinner out of the oven. "We're going to have an underage in the house tonight."

"Don't be so responsible all the time." Sirius joked, throwing his arm over James' shoulder.

Harry couldn't help but laugh as he stood in the dining room with the five of them. Peter had accidentally dropped a glass and as Lily went to help clean up the mess, the doorbell chimed.

"I'll get it!" shouted both Harry and James.

Their elbows prodded and poked one another as Harry raced to beat his father to the door. Sirius and Remus were cheering them on.

"Willing to let your own son beat you, James?" Sirius chided playfully.

"Come on Harry, use those knobbly knees of yours!" Remus shouted of Sirius' howling laughter.

In the end, they both reached the door at the same time, sweating and panting. Ginny looked alarmed as she stared at the pair of them, standing their in a dark green summer dress with her hair in loose curls.

"You must be Ginny!" James said happily while catching his breath. "Come on in."

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Harry." Ginny whispered in his ear as she planted a chaste kiss on his cheek.

He returned the kiss and a round of "oooohs" and "get a room" exploded from James and Sirius.

"I could say the same to the pair of you." Ginny shot back with a laugh, as James and Sirius stood with their arms around one another and standing rather closely.

This time it was an impressed round of "oooohs" that circled around the room, while Sirius doubled over in laughter.

* * *

Forks and glasses clattered as the seven of them ate their shepherd's pie, Harry's favorite. Well, Lily's shepherd's pie was his favorite.

"So James, I think Ginny here might rob your reputation as Gryffindor's best chaser." Remus said with a smile as he dabbed the corners of his mouth with his napkin.

James cocked an eyebrow, eyeing Ginny with curiosity. "Is that so?"

Ginny swallowed her pie and was now as red as her hair. "Well, there have been a few recruiters who have come to watch a few matches, including the Holyhead Harpies."

"Merlin's beard, really?" James gasped.

Ginny nodded proudly. "I'm thinking of playing for the Holyhead Harpies. Once I've finished school of course."

"An excellent choice." Remus commented.

* * *

Ginny howled with laughter as James reenacted Harry's first swimming lesson. To which she countered with the time he had asked Cho to the Yule Ball and had strung the entire sentence together.

Harry mumbled grumpily that he had been extremely nervous. Lily and Remus made him feel slightly better when they started sharing embarrassing moments of James. Peter had a few good ones, too.

* * *

After cake and presents, Harry walked Ginny outside. His skin prickled in the cool summer night breeze. Arthur had insisted on picking her up using his bewitched car.

Ginny sighed, staring back in to the house. "They're great. I love them all."

Harry rolled his eyes, though he was secretly relieved.

"And I love you." she murmured before pressing her lips against his.

His eyes widened slowly and Ginny turned red again as the realization of what she just said sunk in. They had never said that before. "Oh God...Harry, I'm so sorry. You don't have to-"

"I love you too." he replied with an ear-to-ear grin.

He pulled her in for a hug and once again her lips were on his, this kiss more passionate than the last. Her hands were around his neck, her body pressed against his. Harry's hands tangled themselves in her luscious hair. She tasted of cherries and butterbeer. Ginny let out a small moan into his mouth.

"Oi! Love birds!" shouted a familiar voice.

The pair broke apart to find Ron sitting behind the steering wheel.

"Where's dad?" Ginny asked.

"Fell asleep." Ron answered with a laugh.

Ginny shrugged and gave Harry a quick kiss before getting into the car.

"Bye Harry, see you tomorrow for your party!" Ron called before pulling away.

* * *

When Harry returned inside, he found Sirius snoring away on the couch. Remus and Peter were doing the dishes and his parents were sipping on glasses of wine.

His mother looked over at his arrival and rose to hug him.

"Ginny's absolutely wonderful, dear." she said.

"I couldn't agree more, son. She's perfect." James said before kissing the top of his head.

Harry smiled proudly before thanking them both. Having Ginny over for the first time had gone much better than he expected.


	4. Update

one new drabble has been added to this series on archiveofourown!

username: avdubs


End file.
